The head of Mossad has pledged to ‘settle the score’ with Hamas

On Wednesday, Israel’s intelligence agency chief pledged to avenge the attacks carried out by Hamas against Israel. This declaration follows an incident where a drone strike, believed to be conducted by Israel, resulted in the death of Saleh al-Arouri, Hamas’ deputy leader, in Lebanon.

David Barnea, head of Mossad, emphasized the agency’s determination to confront those responsible for the attacks near Gaza on October 7, as well as the leadership of Hamas. Drawing a parallel to the aftermath of the 1972 Munich massacre, Barnea indicated that Mossad would pursue these individuals over time, regardless of their location.

Barnea made these comments while attending the funeral of Zvi Zamir, a former Mossad chief known for his response to the Munich attack, where Israeli Olympic athletes were killed by Palestinian militants.

The statement follows the recent death of Arouri in Beirut’s southern suburb, resulting from a drone strike. Although senior Lebanese officials have accused Israel of this action, Israel has not officially claimed responsibility.

The conflict between Israel and Hamas has been ongoing since the Gaza Strip attack on October 7, allegedly causing the deaths of at least 1,140 people, according to Israeli reports. Barnea warned that any Arab mother should be aware of the consequences if her son was involved in the October 7 massacre, either directly or indirectly.

According to the health ministry in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, Israel’s retaliatory actions have resulted in the deaths of at least 22,313 Palestinians. While the precise number of Hamas militants killed is not specified in this figure, Israel maintains that at least 8,000 of the deceased were Hamas fighters.